Mail-delivery apparatus.



G. R. GODWI-N. MAIL DELIVERY APPARATUS. APPLIOATIOK rum) XAB. 1a, 1005.

Patented-Mar. 30, 1909.

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G. R. GODWIN. MAIL DELIVERY APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 13, 1908.

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ahuenfoz rnz NORRIS PITER: 2a., wAsnmcmu n c I GEORGE R. GODWIN, OF BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA.

MAIL-DELIVERY APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 13, 1988.

Patented March 80, 1909.

Serial No. 120,786.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE It. G-onwnv,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Birmingham, in the county of Jefferson and State of Alabama, have invented new and useful Improvements in Mail-Delivery Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a mail pouch catching and delivering apparatus, the object of the invention being to provide a simple and effective article of this character having means for picking up a pouch from a crane while the train equipped with said means is in motion, the crane being furnished with means foftaking a pouch from such train while in motion.

Inv the drawings accompanying and forming part of this specification I illustrate in detail one advantageous form of embodiment of the invention which, to enable those skilled in the art to practice said invention, will be set forth at length in the following description, while the novelty of the invention will be included in the claims succeeding said description.

Referring to said drawings: Figure 1 is a side elevation of an apparatus involving my invention. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same, a car carrying a portion of the apparatus being represented in section in said Fig. 2. Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional View of that part of the apparatus carried by the car, the latter being shown in section. Fig. 41 is a front elevation of the device shown in Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a sectional detail view of a portion of the crane, the section being on the line 55 Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a detail view in perspective of that part of the apparatus which is supported by the car, and Fig. 7 is a detail view of the same showing it in two positions by full and dotted lines respectively.

Like characters refer to like parts throughout the several figures.

The apparatus shown in the drawings includes in its organization a crane which as is customary in this class of apparatus is gen erally stationary being placed at or near a track or other convenient place where a bag, pouch, or sack carried by it can be removed therefrom by a moving train, while at the same time means on said crane may remove a bag from said train. The crane involves in its make-up a post, mast, or upright as 2 which may be made of any desirable material, either wood or metal or a composition of these materials, as deemed desirable. l. have shown as pivotally supported between its ends at a convenient point in the height of said mast or upright 2 a lever as 3, the rear arm of said lever being equipped with a weight as a which, when the arm is free of restraint, for example, as that oilercd by a bag held by it and a companion lever hereinafter described, will move said lever o .from a substantially horizontal to a substantially vertical position. The mast or upright 2 is represented as pivotally supporting a second lever as 5, the latter in the present case being jointed at its inner end to said mast or upright. When a bag, sack, or pouch is held conjointly by the two levers they both, as will be understood, occupy an approximately horizontal position and naturally are in parallelism, the lower lever at this time fitting in a crotch as 6 the sides of which may be and preferably are of resilient material and are mounted at the upper end of a post as 7 with which and the mast 2 a platform as 8 may be connected. From this platform 8 several steps as 9 may lead whereby access may be had to said platform to facilitate the application of a bag to the swinging levers 3 and 5 or the removal of a bag from the lower one of said levers which in the present case is provided with means for taking a bag from a moving train.

I have shown a cable as 10 connected at one end with the lever 5 between the ends of said lever. To the other end of this cable a weight as 11 maybe connected for the purpose of moving said lever or swinging arm to a substantially upright or vertical position when a bag has been removed from the crane. The cable 10 between its ends passes over a guide sheave or pulley as 12 rotativcly supported by the mast 2 near the upper end thereof. IV hen a bag is connected with the two levers or swinging arms 3 and 5 I prefer to connect the cable 10 with a hook as 13 at a point below the sheave 12 so that the weight 11 will not normally or when the crane is in action tend to swing the arm or lever 5 upward. As soon as the cable 10 is disconnected from the hook 13 the weight 11 is free to drop and, if there be no bag or sack suspended between the two lovers 3 and 5, said weight will return the last mentioned lever to its inoperative relation. I use the term cable 10 in a broad sense to include,

not only the article thus familiarly known, but any equivalent means such as a chain, rope or the like.

From the upper lever 3 there extend oppositely the two projections 14 and 15 (see particularly Fig' 5). These projections may be in one piece. The lower lever is furnished with substantially similar projections 16 and 17 which may likewise be in one piece and the body of which may be united with said lever 5 in any desirable manner. The projections 14 and 16 cooperate, while the same applies with respect to the projections 15 and 17. It is the custom to equip a mail pouch, sack, or bag with rings at the upper end thereof and one of such rings may be connected with the projection 14 while the other may be connected with the projection 16, assuming that a train moving toward the left in Fig. 5 is to pick up such pouch. Should a train be moving from the right in said Fig. 5 the rings of the pouch will be connected with the projections 15 and 17.

The lower lever 5 in the present case is adapted to support two grabs or pouchcatching devices as 18 and 19 which in the present case are of approximately fork-shape or somewhat of U-form and are pivoted for movement about vertical axes on a laterally widened portion as 20 constituting a part of the lower arm 5. When in their operative positions these two grabs or pouch-catching devices face in opposite directions and they are represented in full lines in Fig. 2 as both occupying their operative positions. The grab 18 will serve to remove a pouch from a train moving toward the left in Fig. 2, while the grab or pouch-catching device 19 would perform a like function on a pouch carried by a train moving toward the right in said figure. The outer end of the lower lever 5 is represented as made in the form of a substantially segmental head as 21, and this head constitutes detent means for preventing the pouches jumping out from either grab or catching device 18 or 19 after the latter have separated a pouch or sack from its support on a moving train, the grabs 18 and 19 swinging alternately over the segmental head 21. The grab 19 is represented in dotted lines in Fig. 2 as having picked up or detached a bag and in the act of doing this it is shifted to a position substantially like that shown in dotted lines in said Fig. 2. When the grab is in this position the pouch will occupy the space between the outer arm or branch of the grab 19 and the adjacent inwardly curved face of the segmental head 21. A like operation follows the grab 18.

I provide positive means to hold the two grabs 18 and 19 in their operative and inoperative positions respectively, and for this purpose may provide flat springs as 22 adapted to alternately engage flat faces each designated by 23 on the external portion of the two grabs. Each grab, as will be clear, is provided with two rearwardly converging fiat or straight faces 23 and the free ends of the springs 22 are shown as engaging the outer of these converging faces in both cases in 2. The springs may be united withthe laterally widened portion 20 of the lower lever 5 in any desirable manner. It will be clear that, when the free portion of either spring is against either one of these fiat faces, a cooperating grab will be positively held against shifting movement. It will be assumed that the grab 19 is about to pick up a pouch. As soon as a pouch enters said grab 19 the latter on the motion of the train is swung around to the dotted-line posi' tion represented in said figure, by the action of the bag against what is shown in Fig. 2 as the right branch or arm of said grab 19, the motion continuing until the said grab 19 is fully shifted, at which time the bag or pouch will occupy a position between the outer arm or branch of said grab 19 and the adjacent detent or segment 21. As soon as the grab 19 commences to move the cooperating spring 22 is forced rearward whereby the free portion of said spring enabled to engage against the second or normally inner flat face 23 of said grab 19 to hold the latter shifted.

That part of the apparatus which is sustained upon a mail car or equivalent vehicle includes in its make-up a body or equivalent carrying member as 24, and this body may be made of any desirable material. To the opposite ends of it I have represented as con nected the shanks 25 and 26 of hooks as 27 and 28, it being the office of these hooks 27 and 28 to alternately remove a bag from a crane such, for example, as that hereinbefore particularly described. The body 24 witl its various adjuncts therefor constitutes a pouch-catching device supported by a car. Upon the mail car I mount in some suitable way brackets as 29 and 80. If desired, these brackets may be mounted upon the exterior of a car as 81 adjacent to the ordinary side 0 ening therein. The upper bracket 29 may fie equipped with a pin or stud as 82, while the lower bracket 30 may be furnished with a similar stud as 33 to removably fit openings or perforations carried at the butts or inner ends of the shanks 25 and 26. From this it will be clear that the bag-catching device carried by the car is removably mounted. it may be carried either by the brackets 29 or 30, or can be shifted over to a similar pair of brackets only one of which is shown (see Fig. 2) and which is designated by 34. The bag-catching device shown in Fig. 6 is represented as occupying a position to remove a bag from a crane such as that hereinbefore described when a train eq ipped with said bag-catching device is moving toward the right in Fig. 2. At this time the hook 27 will face toward the right in said Fig. 2. The two hooks are shown correspondingly positioned in Fig. 6. It will be understood at this time that the shanks 25 and 26 are connected with the studs or pins 32 and 33. When it is desired to pick up a bag from the crane when the train is moving toward the left the shanks 25 and 26 are separated from the supporting brackets 29 and 30. The positions of the hooks 27 and 28 are then reversed by giving the shanks 25 and 26 respectively a full half turn, after which the body 24 is inverted and said shanks 25 and 26 are connected with coinplemental brackets of which one, 34, is shown in Fig. 2. The shanks 25 and 26 are each slotted or notched as at to facilitate their turning in manner indicated, and the opposite ends of the body 24 are connected to the rear walls of the respective slots.

Cooperative with the hook 27 is a substantially U-shaped or fork-like guide or directing member as 36, while the lower hook 28 is equipped with a similar part as 37. I deem it necessary to describe in detail only the fork-like part or guide member 36 and its adjuncts, and this will apply to the other part and its coacting devices. The member 36 is pivotally connected to the shank 25 for movement normally about a vertical axis and it is held in two shifted positions in some positive manner, for example, by a spring as 38 fastened to the shank 25 and adapted to alternately engage two converging flat faces as 39 formed on said fork-like member 36 to maintain, the alternate locked relation of said part 36. When the bag-catching device is in its operative position the two hooks 27 and 28 are located substantially approximately at right angles to the car 31, as indi cated by full lines in Fig. 2, and they are held in this position in some positive manner, for instance, by latching means. In the present case there is cooperative with each hook 27 and 28 a latch. It is assumed, of course, that the hook 27 is in position to separate a bag from a mail crane and in this case a latch as 40 will cooperate with a shoulder or catch as 41 on the bracket 29. This latch 40 is guided near its outer or free end by a guide member as 42 fastened to the under side of the hook 27 and it is pivoted between its ends to the under side of said hook .(see for example Fig. 2). The said latch is of approximately angular form being pivoted at its angle or substantially thereat to the shank 25 of the hook 27. T he long branch of said angular latch 40 is, as will be understood, guided by the member 42, while the short branch of said angular latch presents the working portion thereof and, for this purpose, is adapted to engage against the shoulder or catch 41. When it is desired to use the bag-catching device to pick up a bag or pouch the two hooks 27 and 28 are &

swung outward to the position shown in full lines in Fig. 2, at which point the toe or inner end of said latch can engage against the catch or shoulder 41 to maintain the relation indicated and in opposition to a spring as 43 hereinafter more particularly described. A spring as 44 is adapted to engage against the short arm of the latch 40 to maintain the toe or operative portion of said latch against the catch or shoulder 41. It will be understood that the hook 28 is equipped with a similar latch and other parts such as those just described, for which reason said other latch and its coacting parts will have similar characters as those hereinbefore used. The spring 43 in the present case is of coiled form, one end thereof being connected with the body 24, while the other end is adapted for separable connection with a hook as 45 mounted in the door frame of the car 31 shown best in Fig. 2. When the hooks 27 and 28 are swung outward in the manner hcreinbefore indicated, as shown in said Fig. 2, the spring 43 w ill be stretched and, when the two hooks are in said right-angular position, the toe of the latch 40 will engage against the catch 41 so as to prevent the shifting of the bag-catching device by the power of the stretched spring 43. l/Vhen, however, the latch 40 is tripped the two hooks 27 and 28 and therefore the body 24 are released whereby said body can be swung inward by the power of the spring 43 so as to carry the hooks 27 and 28 inward and substantially across the opening in the car 31, as shown by dotted lines in said Fig. 2, to facilitate the removal of a bag caught by the upper arm 27. It will be understood that, if the car 31 is traveling toward. the left in Fig. 2, the hook 28 will e in use. The latch 40 or more properly the long arm thereof, when said latch is in its operative position, extends across the hook 27 so that, as a bag enters said hook, it can strike and trip said latch to effect the release of the bagcatching device, whereby the inward swinging movement thereof under the action of the spring 43 can be accomplished. In Figs. 2 and 6 I have shown the hook 27 as in a position to pick up a bag carried by a mail crane, the inner branch of the fork-like guide member 36 extending across the hook 27 at a point slightly in advance of the latch 40. It will be assumed that a bag is suspended upon a crane such as that hereinbefore referred to and that the car 3] is moving toward the right in Fig. 2. As soon as the guide member 36 strikes the bag, said guide member is caused to retract thereby guiding the pouch against and into the hook 27. On the continued movement of the car the hook fully receives the bag while the guide member 36 continues its shifting movement, this action continuing until the maximum shifting of the guide member 36 has taken place,

when the pouch or bag will be clipped or clasped by the joint action of the guide member 36 and the hook 27.- hen the complete shifting movement of the member 36 is completed the spring 38 will maintain the shifted relation. On the motion of the car the bag i'ill be carried against the latch 40 so as to trip said latch to accomplish the function hereinbefore set forth. On the under side of the hook 7 there may be provided a bag-supporting hook as 41 from which a bag may be suspended prior to swinging said hook 27 out ivard, the 1 wer portion of the bag at this time resting substantially within the lower hook 28 so that the bag carried by the hook 27 can be separated from saic. hook by the grab 19. The parts are so related that a bag will be taken from the crane by the bag-catching device or the crane will remove a bag from the bagcatching device by acting on the bag sub stantially centrally of its height.

What I claim is:

1. In an apparatus of the class described, a swinging bag-catching device comprising a turning body having reversely movable hook members, spring held guide members pivotally mounted upon said hook members and adapted to be actuated by a bag entering and leaving the latter, and means normally looking said bag-catching device in an operative position and acted upon by a bag entering the hook member to release the latter.

2. In an apparatus of the class described, a swinging bag-catching device, tension means for swinging the said device from an operative to an inoperative position, and latch means normally locking said device in its operative position and arranged in the path of movement of a bag, whereby the latter will actuate the latch means to release said device.

3. In an apparatus of the class described, a swinging bag-catching device having reversely shift-able bag grip members, and bag actuated means normally locking said device in an operative position.

4. In an apparatus of the class described, a bag-catching device, means for swinging the latter from an operative to an inoperative position, and means for lockin the bagcatching device in reversely shifted positions, whereby a bag may be caught from trains moving in opposite directions.

5. In an apparatus of the class described, a bagcatching device provided with a bagseparating hook and a shiftably mounted guide member cooperative with said hook and of substantially U-form, means for positively holding said guide member in its different shifted positions, and means for positively shifting said bag-catching device.

6. In an apparatus of the class described,

a bag-catching device comprising a hook and a substantially U-shaped member cooperative with and shiftable relatively to said hook, said hook and U-shaped member serving to conjointly grip a bag.

7. In an apparatus of the class described, a bag-catching device comprising a hook and a substantially U-shaped member cooperative with and shiftable relatively to said hook, said hook and U-shaped member serving to conjointly grip a bag, and spring means active against said U-shaped member to maintain the same in different shifted positions.

8. In an apparatus of the class described, a body, shanks hinged to said body, each shank being provided with a bag-separating nook.

9. In an apparatus of the class described, a turning body, and bag-catching means hinge l. to opposite ends of said body and adapted to be reversed for receiving a bag from a train traveling in either direction.

10. In an apparatus of the class described, a bag grab of substantially Uforin, shiftably mounted, and a pivotal U-shaped spring controlled guide member acted upon by a bag entering and leaving .said grab member to close and open the latter.

11. In an apparatus of the class described, a bag grab of substantially U-form, shiftably mounted, a pivotal U-shaped spring controlled guide member acted upon by a bag entering and leaving said grab member to close and open the latter, and means for looking the bag in. its operative position.

12. In an apparatus of the class described, a vertical post, a weighted swinging lever, a second swinging lever pivotally connected to said post below the first mentioned lever, oppositely extended projections on one end of the levers and adapted to position a bag between the latter, and oppositely disposed bag grabs carried by the second lever.

18. In an apparatus of the class described, a bag grab of substantially U-form, shiftably mounted and provided with converging flat faces, and a spring to alternately engage said flat faces to hold the bag grab in two shifted. positions.

14. In an apparatus of the class described, a pair of swinging arms provided with bagsupporting means and a substantially U- shaped bag grab supported by one of said arms, the arm which supports said bag grab being equipped with means cooperative with the grab to prevent a bag umping therefrom on the shifting thereof.

15. In an apparatus of the class described, a vertical post, a weighted swinging lever, a second swinging lever pivotally connected to said post below the first mentioned lever, oppositely extended projections on one end of the levers and adapted to position a bag between the latter, oppositely disposed bag grabs carried by the second lever, and bag operated guide members on said grabs.

16 In an apparatus of the class described, a vertical post, a Weighted swinging lever, a second swinging lever pivotally connected to said post below the first mentioned lever, oppositely extended projections on one end of the levers and adapted to position a bag between the latter, oppositely disposed bag grabs carried by the second lever, bag operated guide members on said grabs, and means for holding the levers in an operative posi- 10 tion.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEORGE R; GODWIN. Witnesses:

ANNIE L. PEACE, NoMIE WELsH. 

